Consummate Steele
by LJEvans
Summary: What should have happened at Ashford Castle at the end of the series.


Disclaimer: This "Remington Steele" story is not-for-profit and is purely for entertainment purposes. The author and this site do not own the characters and are in no way affiliated with "Remington Steele," the actors, their agents, the producers, MTM Productions, the NBC Television Network or any station or network carrying the show in syndication, or anyone in the industry. 

_**CONSUMMATE STEELE**_

Laura sat on Remington Steele's lap as they watched the news on a TV in the small den in Ashford Castle. The past few days had been quite stressful for Remington Steele and Laura Holt-Steele, but now, Tony Roselli would soon be cleared of being a double agent, and Daniel Chalmers had been buried as a hero in two countries. Remington had given the employees of Ashford Castle the night off and they were more than happy to party at the pub in town to celebrate the fact that Mr. Steele had given the Castle to them. Mickleen, the castle's butler, invited Mildred to come along with them and she happily accepted their invitation realizing that it would leave Remington and Laura alone for the first time since they arrived in Ireland.

After watching the early news on TV, Remington scooped Laura up in his arms intending to carry her up to the master bedroom to finally make love to her. As they reached the huge marble staircase the phone rang. The double ring echoed through the castle with a sound that made Laura's teeth ache.

As Laura slipped out of Mr. Steele's arms to answer the phone,. Remington continued up the stairs.

"I'll just go turn down the sheets." He said and gave Laura a meaningful look.

"Hello?" Laura said into the phone.

"Hey Laura!" The voice at the other end said.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, well they finally let me out of jail. Tell Steele I still think his plan to clear me was awful risky." Tony said.

"Okay, Tony, I'll do that."

"Laura!" Remington called from the top of the stairs.

"Tony, I've got to go. It's been a long day and I've got to get some sleep." Laura said into the phone.

"Laura, It's only 8 o'clock! The night is still...Hey, wait a minute! You're not going to sleep with him are you? What about us? "

"Tony, there is no "us" and yes, I am going to sleep with my husband." It felt really strange for Laura to actually be saying those words, especially to another man.

"But, Laura, Steele's just using you! I mean, I know your wedding is a sham! You two aren't really married! I want to see you again. Listen Laura, I'm not going to give up on you!"

Laura didn't want to hear anymore about the phony marriage or how Steele was using her. "Good night Tony."

"Laura! Laura! Wait!"

She hung up the phone and, frustrated by Tony's accusations, yanked the cord from the wall before Tony had a chance to hit "redial". She started slowly up the immense staircase wondering if she was making a mistake. Maybe Tony was right, but then what did Tony really want? Probably just to get her in bed and then run off, exactly like her exboyfriend, Wilson. She reached the top of the staircase and pushed open the heavy oak door to the master bedroom. The lights were dim inside and Remington Steele stood in front of the fireplace. He had his back to her and was looking at the pocket watch Daniel had given to him. He snapped the watch shut and shoved it in his pocket when he heard the door close. He turned around to see Laura enter the room.

"It was Antony on the phone wasn't it?" He asked with a bit more sarcasm in his voice than he had intended.

"Yes, it was" Laura said as she moved toward him. "I uh...unplugged the phone. He won't be bothering us anymore tonight."

"No, he won't bother us tonight...but what about when we get back to LA? Will he be calling you, coming by, trying to get you into his bed? Will he threaten to reveal that our marriage is a farce if you don't sleep with him? Will he try to steal you away from me?"

"I don't think..." Laura began but Remington cut her off.

" Laura, I feel like I'm on the verge of either having everything I ever wanted or losing everything that is important to me." He continued, not allowing Laura to say a word. "I finally found my father and he died before he could even tell me my name. Now another man is trying to steal the only woman I've ever loved away from me."

"What did you say?" Laura was shocked. _Did he say he loved her?_ She moved closer to him, she wanted to search his face for clues but he was staring into the fire. Her heart was racing.

Finally he turned around to face her. "Laura, Daniel died before I got a chance to thank him for everything he did for me and before I could tell him that... I loved him. He was..." Remington searched for the right words "He was a good father in his own way. Anyway, I don't want something to happen to you...or to us, and have to live my life with the regret that I never told you that I love you."

Laura could hardly believe her ears. She felt her heart skip a beat. She had waited so long to hear those words that now she didn't know what to do. There was a silence that seemed to last an eternity to Remington Steele.

Finally Laura looked deep into his blue eyes and said "I love you too, Harry."

She had taken to calling him Harry in private. Since it was the only thing that Daniel ever called him, she figured it must have been his real name. Besides, she couldn't picture herself calling him Remington in an intimate situation. It would be like making love to a typewriter. Mr. Steele seemed to like it when she called him Harry.

Rather than pull her into his arms and kiss her, Remington turned back toward the fire. "And what about Antony?" He asked, his face clouded.

"Harry, I don't even know who Tony is. I don't know what he wants and quite frankly I don't trust him. I was angry with you for not trusting me enough to tell me about your problem with immigration. I was angry about that horrible sham of a marriage on that stupid fishing boat when this mysterious, rugged guy swept into my life and made you jealous. I guess I figured if I couldn't get you to tell me that you loved me, at least I could make you jealous. I must admit that I enjoyed making you jealous."

"It seems strange that you would say you don't know who Antony is when that's what has always kept us apart." Remington mused

"But I _DO_ know who you are." Laura protested. "You are Remington Steele. Even Daniel said it."

A slight smile crossed Remington Steele's face. "Yes, I guess you're right." He said as he took her in his arms and kissed her. "Well, Love, I've got some Dom Perignon on ice what say we begin with that eh?"

"Love to Mr. Steele" Laura replied .

Remington took the bottle from the silver ice bucket and poured two champaign flutes with the bubbly. He handed one to Laura and raised his glass to hers "To us, Mrs. Steele."

"To us, Mr. Steele." Laura repeated and they entwined their arms as they took that first sip.

Remington took the glass from Laura's hand and put it down on the end table by the small love seat in front of the fireplace. He put his arms around her and began kissing her passionately. His hands slid down her back to the bottom of her sweater. He lifted the back of her sweater just enough to put his hands on the warm, soft skin of her back. As his hands caressed her skin, he suddenly felt her hands caressing his skin under his sweater.

Abruptly, Laura pulled away from him and Remington's surprise gave way to annoyance as he thought _'Not again! She's not going to pull away and give me some excuse about her father or Wilson again!'_

Laura looked into Remington's questioning eyes. "I just thought I would slip into something a little more comfortable." She said, very matter-of-fact.

She walked over to the heavy chest of drawers, opened the top drawer and pulled out a black teddy. She held it up for his approval. "This is what I had in mind" she said.

"Wonderful idea Laura." Remington said as he was picturing how Laura would look in the sexy,  
skimpy, frock.

Laura walked toward the master bath. She stopped just before she got to the door and turned toward Remington who was still standing by the fireplace looking a little perplexed.

"If you need anything just whistle." She said in the huskiest voice she could muster. "You do know how to whistle don't you Harry? You just put your lips together and blow."

She turned and opened the door to the bath, but before she entered she pivoted around one more time and with a smirk on her face said "To Have and Have Not, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Warner Brothers, 1944" and she disappeared leaving Remington Steele standing there with his mouth hanging open.


End file.
